Yuriorkis Gamboa

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Yuriorkis Gamboa
Statistics
Real name	Yuriorkis Gamboa Toledano
Nickname(s)	El Ciclon de Guantánamo
Rated at	Featherweight
Height	5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Nationality	Cuban
Birth date	December 23, 1981 (1981-12-23) (age 27)
Birth place	Guantánamo
Stance	orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights	15
Wins	15
Wins by KO	13
Losses	0
Draws	0

Amateur medal record
Men's Boxing
Competitor for  Cuba
Olympic Games
Gold	2004 Athens	Flyweight
World Amateur Championships
Bronze	2005 Mianyang	Featherweight
Pan American Games
Gold	2003 Santo Domingo	Flyweight
Central American and Caribbean Games
Bronze	2006 Cartagena	Featherweight

Yuriorkis Gamboa Toledano (born December 23, 1981) is a Cuban professional boxer who, as an amateur boxer, won an Olympic gold medal in the flyweight division at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the current WBA Featherweight Champion.

[edit] Amateur highlights

• Four-time Cuban national champion
• 2003 Pan American Games gold medalist
• 2004 Olympic gold medalist
• 2005 World Amateur Boxing Championships bronze medalist
• 2006 Central American and Caribbean Games bronze medalist
• 2006 World Cup champion

Gamboa's 2004 Olympic Boxing results were:^[1]

• Round of 32 - Defeated Igori Samoilenco of Moldava - PTS (46-33)
• Round of 16 - Defeated Somjit Jongjohor of Thailand - PTS (26-21)
• Quarterfinals - Defeated Georgy Balakshin of Russia - PTS (26-18)
• Semifinals - Defeated Rustamhodza Rahimov of Germany - PTS (20-11)
• Gold Medal Match - Defeated Jérôme Thomas of France - PTS (38-23)

[edit] Defection

While training in Venezuela, Gamboa, along with Cuban teammates Odlanier Solis and Yan Barthelemy snuck out of camp and found their way to Colombia and eventually to Germany, where they applied for visas to enter the United States.^[2] Before defecting, he had sold his Olympic gold medal to support his family.^[3]

[edit] Professional career

Gamboa made his professional boxing debut on April 27, 2007, in Hamburg, Germany against Alexan Manvelyan. Gamboa put Manvelyan on the canvas in the third round and beat up his foe throughout the fight for the unanimous decision victory. Two months later, he defeated Araik Sachbazjan by fourth round technical knockout. After winning his next four fights, Gamboa made his United States debut on October 30, 2007, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida against Adailton De Jesus. De Jesus was dropped to the canvas halfway through the first round. A Gamboa slip in the fourth round was ruled a knockdown by the referee. Gamboa's relentless pressure eventually forced a stoppage in the sixth and final round.^[4]

Gamboa fought Gilberto Luque on January 5, 2008, at Bally's Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Gamboa sent his opponent to the canvas less than 30 seconds into first round with a left hand. After two more knockdowns the referee stopped the fight.^[5] On February 22, 2008 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, he made his American television debut against Johnnie Edwards. Gamboa knocked Edwards down in the first 30 seconds of the fight after connecting with a left hand to the head. Edwards got up, but was met with left hand punches from Gamboa ending with two consecutive right hands that knocked Edwards down for the second and final time as the referee moved in and halted the fight in round one and won the vacant NABF Super Featherweight title .^[6]

On May 17, 2008, at Buffalo Bill's Star Arena in Primm, Nevada, Gamboa fought Darling Jimenez. Gamboa started off well in the first three rounds of the fight, swarming Jimenez and hitting him with punches over and over. Gamboa looked flustered in the fourth round and began showing signs of fatigue. He got careless and was knocked down by a right hand behind the ear from Jimenez. Gamboa got up and finished the fight strong, winning by unanimous decision and claming the vacant WBC International Super Featherweight title .^[7] After the fight, Gamboa’s promoter Ahmet Öner fired his trainer Osmiri Fernandez, replacing him with Ismeal Salas.^[8] On July 18, 2008, Steping down to Featherweight, Gamboa scored a first round technical knockout victory over Al Seegerto win the vacant WBO NABO Featherweight title in a fight that took place at Buffalo Bill's Star Arena in Primm, Nevada. A left hook to the body set up a right hand that landed across Seeger's face, causing him to collapse backwards flat onto the canvas. The referee stepped over Seeger without bothering to count, officially stopping the bout.^[9]

On October 5, 2008, Gamboa stepped up in class, yet again, and fought Marcos Ramirez, a Kansas City Featherweight boasting an undefeated 25-0 record in Temecula, California. Gamboa exhibited amazing handspeed and quick combination punching in the first round before he was dropped by what was revealed to be an elbow to the chin by Ramirez. Gamboa quickly came to his feet and resumed fighting until the bell rang to signify the end of the round. In the second round, Gamboa picked up where he left off and knocked Ramirez down with a fast right uppercut, followed by another combination. Ramirez let the referee administer the eight count before rising to his feet. Gamboa then finished the fight by pressuring Ramirez into the ropes and landing a left hook to the body, followed by a right uppercut to the jaw. The referee stopped the fight, although it seemed like his count seemed too quick and Ramirez was back on his feet by the count of ten. With the win Gamboa's record improved to 12-0 (10 KOs).^[10] Gamboa's next fight took place at Buffalo Bill's Star Arena in Primm, Nevada on January 9, 2009 against Roger Gonzalez. Gamboa used quick combinations from the beginning of the third round to relentlessly attack Gonzalez. Gamboa began his assault after going down during the second round, after absorbing a sneaky right hand by Gonzalez.^{[original research?]} The referee halted the one-sided bout with 48 seconds remaining after Gonzalez sustained a barrage of punches to the head. Gamboa led 89–82 on one judge's scorecard and 89–83 on the other two judges' cards through nine rounds.^[11]

On February 20, 2009, Gamboa fought Walter Estrada at The University Center at Nova Southeastern University. Gamboa knocked out Estrada with a left hook to the body followed by a right hand to the face 25 seconds into the fight.^[12]

On April 17, 2009 Gamboa stoped Jose Rojas via 10th round TKO to win the Interim WBA Featherweight title.^[13]

Gamboa will now fight mandatory challanger and former WBC Featherweight title holder Guty Espadas Jr on July 25.^[14]

[edit] Fight Record

Result	Record	Opponent	Date	Result	Time	Location	Notes
Win	15-0	Jose Rojas	02009-04-17 April 17, 2009	TKO 10	1:31	Primm, Nevada, USA	Wins Interim WBA Featherweight Title
Win	14-0	Walter Estrada	02009-02-20 February 20, 2009	KO 1	0:35	Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA
Win	13-0	Roger Gonzalez	02009-01-09 January 9, 2009	TKO 10	2:12	Primm, Nevada, USA
Win	12-0	Marcos Ramirez	02008-10-04 October 4, 2008	KO 2	1:41	Temecula, California, USA
Win	11-0	Al Seeger	02008-07-18 July 18, 2008	TKO 1	2:30	Primm, Nevada, USA	Wins vacant WBO NABO Featherweight title
Win	10-0	Darling Jimenez	02008-05-17 May 17, 2008	UD 10	3:00	Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA	Wins vacant WBC International Super Featherweight title
Win	9-0	Johnnie Edwards	02008-02-22 February 22, 2008	TKO 1	1:34	Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA	Wins vacant NABF Super Featherweight title
Win	8-0	Gilberto Luque	02008-01-05 January 5, 2008	TKO 1	1:54	Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Win	7-0	Adailton De Jesus	02007-10-30 October 30, 2007	TKO 6	0:35	Hollywood, Florida, USA
Win	6-0	Samuel Kebede	02007-10-19 October 19, 2007	TKO 2	2:11	Berlin, Germany
Win	5-0	Nestor Hugo Paniagua	02007-09-21 September 21, 2007	KO 1	1:05	Berlin, Germany
Win	4-0	Thomas Hengstberger	02007-09-02 September 2, 2007	TKO 1	1:04	Berlin, Germany
Win	3-0	Joel Mayo	02007-07-06 July 6, 2007	TKO 2	0:35	Hamburg, Germany
Win	2-0	Araik Sachbazjan	02007-06-16 June 16, 2007	TKO 4		Ankara, Turkey
Win	1-0	Alexan Manvelyan	02007-04-27 April 27, 2007	UD 4	3:00	Hamburg, Germany

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Yuriorkis Gamboa's Official Site
• Amateur record
• Professional boxing record for Yuriorkis Gamboa from Boxrec